Nollywood Week Film Festival
The essential meeting point for Nigerian and African cinema in Paris
About Nollywood Week
Nollywood Week: The European Showcase for Nigerian Cinema
Launched in 2013 by Nadira Shakur and Serge Noukoué, two film enthusiasts and curators, the Nollywood Week Film Festival was born from a simple yet powerful observation: while Paris is one of the world's cinema capitals, no festival highlighted Nollywood, the second-largest film industry in the world by the number of films produced. Organized by Okada Media, the festival has become over a decade the main European showcase for Nigerian cinema and, more broadly, for English-speaking African cinema.
A Program Revealing Nollywood's Diversity
Each edition offers a rigorous selection of about twenty films — fiction features, documentaries, short films, television series, and animated films — that showcase the extraordinary creative vitality of the Nigerian film industry. The festival regularly presents world premieres, giving Parisian audiences the chance to discover in advance works that will later tour the globe.
Contemporary Themes
The selected films address various topics: contemporary Nigerian society, gender issues, diasporic identity, tensions between tradition and modernity, entrepreneurship, love, and family relationships. Far from clichés, Nollywood Week's programming reveals a sophisticated cinema, technically accomplished and narratively bold.
A Venue Steeped in Cinematic History
The festival takes place at the Cinéma l'Arlequin, located in the heart of Paris, a stone's throw from where the Lumière brothers screened the first film in history to a paying audience. This choice of venue is not insignificant: it places Nigerian cinema within the grand history of the seventh art and asserts its legitimate place on the global cinematic scene.
Beyond Screenings
Nollywood Week is not limited to film screenings. Each edition features masterclasses led by Nigerian directors, producers, and actors, Q&A sessions after screenings, and festive events like the famous Afrobeats Party. The festival thus creates a unique meeting space between African cinema professionals and the European public, fostering intercultural exchange and co-production opportunities.
Since its inception, Nollywood Week has welcomed tens of thousands of spectators and helped introduce leading Nigerian directors to Europe. The festival benefits from the support of French and international cultural institutions and has expanded to other cities over the years.
Nollywood Week — edition 2026
13th Edition — May 6 to 10, 2026
The Nollywood Week Film Festival celebrated its 13th edition from May 6 to 10, 2026, at Cinéma l'Arlequin in Paris, under the patronage of Cameroonian actor and director Thomas Ngijol. The first European festival dedicated to Nigerian cinema presented a selection of around twenty works from at least eight countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Chad, France, United Kingdom), including fiction feature films, documentaries, short films, animations, and series — all subtitled in French.
Opening, Closing, and Highlights
The opening night on Wednesday, May 6, welcomed Thomas Ngijol before the world premiere of East West Love, a romantic comedy by Seko Shamte filmed between Lagos and Mombasa. The closing ceremony on Sunday, May 10, featured the screening of Ogene, a Japan-Nigeria co-production by Charles Uwagbai inspired by the Igbo musical tradition and starring Gideon Okeke, Tomoko Hayakawa, and Tina Mba. The festival concluded with an Afrobeats Afterparty.
Enhanced Industry Program
The 2026 edition introduced an industry program in partnership with the Nigeria International Film Summit, with panels on music rights (in partnership with SACEM), artificial intelligence in African cinema, vertical streaming platforms, diasporic series, and co-production strategies between Africa, Europe, and North America. The fourth day was dedicated to diasporic creators («Diasporian Day»).
Awards
- Best Feature Film: The Fisherman by Zoey Martinson (Ghana)
- Best Short Film: Goat by Judy Kibinge (Kenya)
- Audience Award: Onobiren by Famous Odion Iraoya (Nigeria)
- Special Mentions: Memory of Princess Mumbi (Damien Hauser) and When Nigeria Happens (Ema Edosio)
The two Nigerian films that attracted the largest audiences were Mothers of Chibok and Onobiren.
Programme Nollywood Week 2026
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Opening Ceremony with Thomas Ngijol, patron of the edition
- 8:30 PM — East West Love (Seko Shamte) · World Premiere · romantic comedy between Lagos and Mombasa
Thursday, May 7, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Panel "Music Rights in Film" in partnership with SACEM · free admission
- 3:30 PM — EWO (Nigeria) · feature film
- 6:00 PM — Hope for Everyday (CANAL+) · free admission
- 8:45 PM — Mothers of Chibok · documentary
Friday, May 8, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Panel "AI in African Films" · free admission
- 2:00 PM — DIYA · feature film
- 4:15 PM — Short Circuit · selection of 4 short films
- 6:30 PM — Memory of Princess Mumbi (Damien Hauser) · followed by a Q&A
- 8:30 PM — Evi Superstar (Uyoyou Adia)
Saturday, May 9, 2026 — Diasporian Day
- 11:00 AM — Fireside Chat "Verticals" · vertical streaming platforms
- 12:45 PM — Panel "The Diaspora in Series"
- 3:00 PM — ZERO · followed by a Q&A
- 5:15 PM — Indomptables (Untamable) (Thomas Ngijol) · followed by a Q&A
- 7:30 PM — When Nigeria Happens (Ema Edosio)
- 9:45 PM — Reel Love
Sunday, May 10, 2026
- 10:00 AM — NollyKids · youth program with animations and activities
- 11:00 AM — Batwing: Unmasked · followed by a debate
- 12:45 PM — The Fisherman (Zoey Martinson, Ghana)
- 3:00 PM — Onobiren (Famous Odion Iraoya)
- 5:15 PM — Wire Wire · followed by a Q&A
- 7:30 PM — Closing Ceremony followed by the screening of Ogene (Japan / Nigeria) with Gideon Okeke, Tomoko Hayakawa, and Tina Mba
- 10:00 PM — Afrobeats Afterparty
Highlights Nollywood Week 2026
- World premiere at the opening: East West Love by Seko Shamte (Lagos / Mombasa)
- Patronage by actor and director Thomas Ngijol, who presented his film Indomptables filmed in Cameroon
- Official selection of around twenty works from 8 countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Chad, France, United Kingdom)
- Launch of an industry program in partnership with the Nigeria International Film Summit (SACEM panels, AI, vertical platforms, diasporic series)
- Diasporian Day dedicated to diaspora filmmakers
- NollyKids program for young audiences on Sunday
- Closing with Ogene, a Japan-Nigeria co-production, followed by an Afrobeats Afterparty
Prices Nollywood Week 2026
Practical information — Nollywood Week
Practical Information
Venue
Screenings take place at the Cinéma l'Arlequin, 76 rue de Rennes, 75006 Paris.
Access
Metro: Saint-Sulpice (line 4) or Saint-Germain-des-Prés (line 4).
Bus: Lines 63, 70, 86, 87.
Prices
Standard cinema ticket prices. Festival pass available for all screenings. Reduced rates for students.
Ticketing
Book online on the official website nollywoodweek.com or directly at the cinema box office.
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Where does it take place — Nollywood Week
Cinéma l'Arlequin
76 rue de Rennes, 75006 Paris